Electric steaming iron



Jan. 5, 1954 y J, l, DICKMAN 2,664,654

ELECTRIC STEAMING IRON Filed April l, 1950 2 Sheets-5h86?, l

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ELECTRIC STEAMING IRON Filed April l, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR.

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Patented Jan. 5, 1954 ELECTRIC STEAMING IRON Jacob I. Dickman, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to Samuel Bean, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application April 1, 1950, Serial No. 153,355

1 Claim.

This invention relates to electrically heated atirons, and especially to such iiatirons as have openings in the sole plate for the emission of steam or vapor onto the work in process.

The advantages of a steaming iron are mail recognized. There is, however, a tendency for excess moisture to be discharged at the steam openings. By providing a steam chamber separated from these openings, drier steam may be obtained. Nevertheless, even then. droplets of water are occasionally discharged.

It is one of the objects of this invention to reduce the likelihood of the collection of moisture at the discharge openings.

It is another object of this invention to im prove, in general, steaming electric irons.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a steaming iron in which the vapor is maintained in a dry condition, suiIicient to prevent discharge of moisture.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose, there is shown a form in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. The form will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of this invention is best dei-ined by the appended claim.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a atiron incorporating the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the plane indicated by line 2--2 of Fig. `1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken along a plane corresponding to line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views, taken along a plane corresponding to lines 4-4 and 5-5 of Fig. 2; andV Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic exploded view showing the majorelements.

The iron includes a sole plate I that may be in the form of acasting. Disposed above the sole plate I is a heater unit 2, and immediately above the heater unit 2 is a steam generating member 3. The heating unit 2 serves to heat thesole plate I and member 3 for the generation or heating of steam in a manner to be hereinafter described.

A shell 4 has its lower edge accommodated around a shoulder 5 formed on the upper side of the sole plate I. To this shell 4 is attached a handle 6 in any appropriate manner, as by screws 33 that engage threaded apertures 31 in member 3. The heating unit 2 is connected to a twin conductor 1. This twin conductor 1 passes through an extension 8 formed integrally with the shell 4. A thermostat adjustment means 9 is provided on the upper surface of the shell 4 for adjusting the current flowing through the heater unit 2.

Any appropriate fastening means, such as the screws 33, may be provided for holding the sole plate I, steam generating member 3 and heater 2 together.

The steam generating unit 3 may also be made of a casting, and is provided with a generally triangular recess III, formed by the aid of a core, and conforming to the tip of the iron. A plug I I may be used to close the recess. Apertures or passageways I2 and I3 are drilled lengthwise of the member 3, and may be plugged, as by headless screws I4. These apertures lead into the chamber I0, and intersect the drilled openings I5 and I6 extending vertically upwardly from these passages or apertures I2 and I3.

Y A nipple I1 (Fig. 3) is threaded into the apertures I5, and is attached, as by the aid of nuts I8, to the shell 4. It extends through the shell 4 and serves as an inlet for steam from a boiler, or water, to the member 3.

A similar nipple I9 is provided to serve as the outlet for the steam generator 3. It communicates with passage I3 by Way of the aperture I5. This nipple may be attached to the shell 4, as bythe aid of the nuts 2D.

A pipe connection 2l is provided from outlet nipple I9 to passageways in the sole plate I. This pipe 2| may be threaded into the upper end of the nipple I9. It is connected, as by an elbow 22, into the passageway 23 extending longitudinally of the sole plate I. This passageway communicates with passageways 24, 25, 26, and 21 formed in the sole plate I. The passageways 23, 25, and 21 are substantially parallel, and are joined, in series, by the shorter passageways 24 and 26. The last passageway 21 of the series connects to a chamber 32, formed as by a core, in the sole plate I and closed by a plug 33. A series of fine apertures 34 serve as steam outlets drilled in the bottom of the sole plate I for the discharge of steam or vapor.

The chamber 32 assumes the contour of the nose or tip of the iron.

When steam or water is fed into inlet I1, and the unit 2 is energized, steam is generated, or supplementally heated. in chamber I0, and can non-corrosive in the presence of steam. The elements 35 imay be inserted into the chamber I@ through the recess in the top of the unit 3 upon removal of the plug I I. They may be in the form of perforated discs, and of a size greater than`. the cross-section of the passages I2 and I3. --Ac- H cordingly, the disc elements tained in the space I0.

The elements 35 operate to ensure the passage of relatively dry steam into the sole plate I The. exposed surfaces of these elements serve to trans' 35 are properly re-l mit heat to any droplets that may form in the.

chamber Il! and fall upon these elements. n this Way, the expulsion vof `moisture by the energetic flo-w rof steam thrdugh the perforation-s 35i is substantially prevented.

As lthe iron is used, .the movement of the iron over the Work v:serves .to agitate the elements 35 in the Achamber III, .ensuring that unevaporatec.v Water in chamber .Ill will .encounter these ele,N ments before they can pass into the sole `plate and Will be evaporated.

The inventor claims.:

In `an electric iron: a sole plate having wall `4 means forming a space provided with discharge openings; a steam generator in juxtaposed relation With respect to said plate, said generator having means forming a chamber therein; said generator having means forming an aperature opening outwardly of said generator from said chamber; a removable closure for said aperture forming means; said generator also having a pair 4of elongate passageways, each communicating at one end respectively with said chamber, one of said passageways forming an inlet to said chamber, and the other of said passageways forming an outlet from said chamber; means connecting the other'end of said other passageway with said space; electric heating means in heat-conducting relationship with said plate and said generator; and a plural-ity of separate freely movable metallic heat transfer elements loosely conned in said chamber; each of said elements being of a size to permit passage thereof through said aperture,l but .of larger size than said passageways, each of said elements having -a recess for ncreasing the exposed area of the element.

JACGB I. DICKMAN.

References Cited in the le .of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 719,921 Webster Feb. 3, 1903 2,070,710 Clark Feb. 16, 1937 

